Automatic spark-advancing mechanism.



H. TQROBERTS.

UTOMATIC SPARK ADJANCING MECHANISM AFFLICAG'IDN FILED AUG. 19H5.

Patented July 30, 1918.

1m: Namens n1-sies cm mwnmnna.. wAsnmcmw. n. c.

'HABBY- T. ROBERTSffOF OAKLAND", CALIEORNIAn.

To all whomk it may concern:

Be it known that L'HA'RRY T. Roisniirs,' a citizenV of the AUnited States, residing `at Oakland, in the county of Alameda, State of California, have.l invented a new andl useful Automatic Spark-Advancing Mechanism, of

which the following a specification in 'such full andl clear terms` as will enable those skilled in the art to construct' and use -the same. v I l s This linvention"relates` to an. automatic mechanism for advancing the time of sparking ofthe ignition system of an explosionA enginewith respect tothe position of t i a vel v of Vthe engine,V piston, anyj suitable type of current lsupplying apparatus beiiig'used in conjunction therewith. f An embodiment of theinvention is s liown in the drawing in which'the same reference numeral is applied to the "same portion throughout, but I ani aware that there may be many modifications thereof,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of an engine Vshowing this apparatus applied thereto. the casing containing it and aportion of the device being shown iu vertical section, 'y 'f v Fig. 2 is a transverse Ysectional View of the advancing mechanism, i j

Fig. 3 is a front elevation'of thebrushcarrying disk, *n

Fig. 4-is a backelevation'of the distribu ter disk showing segments for the Vdistribution ofv current toV a four cylinder motor,

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the ladvancf` ing mechanism,

y Fig.A 6' is f a transverse I sectional view ofthe 5 device on the' Iine 6-'6,`"Fig.j'1 showing the distributer in'A the advanced position, vand v l Fig. lTisra sideV elevation of the sleeve1 carrying the advancing mechanism. y

The numeral 1vk indicates portion ofthe engine, 2 beinga` shaftsuitably timedA tode'- liverfeurrent to the distributor cables 3, 4,-'

5 and' (iy which extendto suitable apparatus,

not shown, for the production of'high ten sion current.. The vdistributerf-'12 to which the cables to 6 inclusive are connectedr'has metallic segments y13,V 14, 15k and-16 to'which said cables are electrically connected, and it is provided withv othei` metallic segments 17,

18, 19 and 20 'which' are insulated from' ',each* other and'from vthe other segmentsfforther reason that the material of whichthe disk ismade and into which said .Segments are sunk is of fiber or 'material weights 27 ,-28,129',k 30 an'd931when'the en Y gine isrunn'ing.y T hesleeve` 21 is mounted 'I 5 f on. the `shaft 2 and' sec'ureditheietoby means Vntr'roiiia'rlcsiiAiaKfiaiivAivciuer,iancHaNIsiii.

ppcation'kd August`22r,191v6. Seria1'No.-116,376.'

`Specification of Letters Patent. i u lylo, i'

other similar insulating Y l The advancing -mechanism'isv Vmounted on a shellor sleeve 21, said sleevehaving lugs 22, 23 which lugs receive a pin24. 'Thepin 24 forms 'a pivot for the-.tivo steelor other suitable springs or other equivalent: elements 25, A26, which tend to close when, at rest, lexpanding under 'the influence 'of the segmental i' off'a pin 32'y or in Vany other suitable manner" by V means of a small nutv34 Vwhichpermits said diskto rotate with'respect 'tofthes1eeve.,

and on the outer fendsaid. sleevejsupportsa l' Y disk 33, `said vdisk being' held in lplace thereon` 70 y and f'with the disk'.v The disk 331is pro-"fl Y f7.5"Y vided with a hollow or other contact-"InakingVV brush 365 and with a felt'brushf? whichffj keeps the track on vwhich the brush travels Y" clean, said vbrushes having' springs toy hold' f them Vengaged with the segments onfth'edisk ner. The pin `35 Vis connected into lthe disk 33 by `means of the hole SS'and said diskf has isfheld-in place on a suitable" projecting a stop pin v39 on its fba'ck to prevent the ad-"` Y flange-41 ofthe engine by meansof suitable'fA f spiingsg42, 43. vThe 'disk :12"fitsV into'fthe cover 40 and is securedin `place thereinbyvv means offtwo'springs'44, 45-which are'con-'f nect'ed with the l shell I4'()L and pin'46-fprelf vents the'diskfrom being'inserted*in'fplacer in any "position savetha-t one in 'whichitA should 'be placed. "Thumb *holds 47a',l 48V are" provided'l on the spring 44,45 to enablefth'em tobe released lfrom the disk'12; In operation the current is delivered from asuitable Vsource of supply'to a wireigroundedupon theframe'y ofthe engine and Viis?,

thence deliveredfbyaway of 'the'brush 36 'to the segments and cables f3 to Gfinclusive 1` The springs 25 and 26 and' the "segmentalfA weights' 27, V28,129, 30,y and-'31 constitutey a #centrifugal devicevfadapted to expand through centrifugalgforce' asthe speed "ofr the time shaft. increasesand 'to contractorv `\`.move.inwardly under the influence of the springs when the speed of the shaft decreases. When the engine is at rest the springs 25, 26 tend to close up and hold the weights in close engagement with the sleeve on which they ride, but when the engine is running the segments` will tend to'expaiid the springs to the position shown in Fig. 6, whereupon the link 34 will draw the disk 83 around to advance the time of the making and breaking of the electric current de-. livered to the cables 3 to 6 inclusive. As soon as the engine slows down the spark ad vancing mechanism will slow down and retard the spark, thereby meeting all conditions of engine driving.

The pin 39 may be placed in either of the holes 50 or 5l to give a larger. or smaller advance as the engine may require.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows, express reservation being made of permissible inodii'icationsz, Y

l. A spark advancing' mechanism for explosion engines comprising a suitably timed shaft,a revoluble shell. connected with said shaft, a contact supportingdisk carried by said shell and movable with respect to the same, a series of weights surrounding said shell, springs to hold said weights ynormally inengagement with the shell, means torotate .the weights with the shell, a link connecting said weights with the disk whereby the diskwill be advanced as the weights move outwardly from the shell under the inuence of'rotation, and a series of contact segments over which the Contact travels.

2. A spark advancing mechanism for explosion engines comprising a suitably timed shaft, a shell rigidly connected therewith, a series of weights surrounding said shell, springs adapted to hold said weights noi'- inally against the shell, means connected with one end of the springs to rotate the weights withsaid shell while permitting the other end of said springs to move outwardly under the influence of rotation, a contact disk movably supported'on the shell, a link connecting said disk and one of said weights whereby the contact disk will be advanced as the shell is rotated, a series of contact segments, and a brush carried by the disk and adapted to travel over said contact segments. i

'3. VA spark advancing mechanism for explosion engines comprising asuitably timed shaft, a4 shell rigidly connected therewith, a set of weights surrounding said shell, springs holding the weights normally in contact with the` shell and pivoted thereto at one end of thesprings, a contact disk carried by the shell and movable withV respect thereto, a linkconnecting one of the weights with said disk and adapted to shift the position of said disk with respect to theshell, a series of contact segments, and a brush carried by the contact disk adapted to pass over said contact segments.

4. A spark advancing mechanism for eX- plosion engines comprising a timed shaft, a shell carried thereby, a Contact supporting disk movable on the shell, a setl of weights around the shell, a pair of springs adapted to hold the weights in contact withthe shell, a pin to which one end of the springs are hinged, the other ends being movable outwardly when rotated, a link connecting the weights and contact disk, an insulating cover for the shell, a disk securedto ysaid cover and having a plurality of contact segments over which the contact travels.` ,c f

5. A spark advancing mechanism comprisinga timed shaft, a shell carried thereby, a.

series of weights around they shell,y a pairof circular springs inclosiiig the weights and holding them inQcontact with the shell, a pin carried by the shell and to which said springs are pivoted at one end, a contact 'supf porting disk movable on the shell, a link connecting the weights and disk to advance the latter, and a seriesof contact segments over which the contact travels.`

the same inwardly as the speed ofthe shaft f decreases.

7 In an electric ignition for explosive engines, a rotary contact, a plurality of contacts arranged in-thepath ofthe rotary contact to coact therewith, to close the circuit, a rotary-member vfor actuating the rotary contact and controllingy means operated by the rotary member to advance ,they rotary cont-act and the spark proportionately to the increase in the speed ofthe engine, said controlling means including a spring, arrangedsubstantially concentric with the axis of ro tation of the rotary member and weights arranged to expand the spring by centrifugal force as the speed increasessaid spring be-` ing automatically movable inwardly as the speed decreases. i

8. An automatic spark producing and ad#` vancing mechanism comprising a revoluble member timed to the engine, a low tension contact brush, a spring encircling said memberk for advancing and retarding the low tension contact brush, and a series of coniio 1,274,082 f Y if tact segments arranged in a circle opposite the low tension contact brush and coacting therewith to close the circuit for advancing and retarding a high tension contact brush.

9. An automatic spark producing and advancing mechanism comprising a revoluble member timed to the engine, two springs holding each a series of Weights encircling said member each spring fastened to said member at one end on opposite sides of said member and other end of said springs are connected to brush holders made to balance said mechanism under the vinfluence of rotation. l

l0. An automatic spark producing and advancing mechanism comprising a revoluble member timed to the engine, two springs holding each a series of weights encircling said member, two brush holders and brushes a flexible line for each brush holder, one end of said line connected to a brush holder the other end toa free or'outwardly mov,- able end of springs or weights.

1l. An automatic spark producing andv advancing mechanism comprising a revoluble member timed to the engine, a pair of springs, a pair of series of weights surrounding said member, a pair of brushes and brush holders, a pair of round disks fastened to the revoluble member on one side of each of said springs and Weights as shields for said springs and weights.

12. A spark advancing mechanism comprising a suitably tined shaft, a shell carried thereby, a disk supporting brush or brushes which connects to cominutator with segmentsrthereon, said disk being movable on said shell by rotation and connection of weights fashioned thereto and said disk being insulated at the connection of said segments and commutator for the purpose of doing away with the arc or llame at said contact at the time of parting, which arc or flame is caused by electric current being broken.

V13. A spark advancing mechanism for explosion engines, comprising asuitably timed shaft, a shell carried thereby, a series of Weights surrounding said shell connectedat one end tosaid shell and other end of said weight, connected to a disk supporting con-V tact brush or brushes by means of a connecting link, whereby under the influence ofV rotation, said weightsopen outwardlyand leave an open space, which said weights are tion, andbeside of this path of rotationon said shell is a disklsupporting.contact brush or brushes which is mounted on said shell movably and which part of saiddisk be constructed heavier in one part than the other,

and whereby` the heavier part is brought into place beside ofr'weight rotationpath Y by said connecting link tocounteract they` open space in the rotationk of said "weights, when same are in outwardlyvposition, and when in a closed up positionsaid heavier part of said disk moves in a lrelative posi-.f Vtion to said weights, which has a tendency to counteract the balanceof saidY mechanisms when in rotation.

' 14. An automatic sparkv producing appa- 1 member and connected at one end and having its other end free and connected with theV saidY brush, said springbeing movable outwardly by centrifugal force landv inwardly by its spring action forV automatically advancing and retarding the spark as the speed of the said member increases and decreases. e

In `testimony whereof I have hereunto Setvr my hand this 16th day of August, A., D. 1916.

Copie o! this patent may be obtained tor ve centsV each,hy addressing the commlnloner o! Patents,

Y Washington, 13.0.'7v Y i. v f Y HARRY T. ROBERTS;

. 55 Vthrown out of balance in their path of rotae 

